Vigil held for slain barbershop owner

32-year-old was gunned down in his shop on Friday

Family members held each other at a vigil for Lamar Canady, who was gunned down in his Oak Park barbershop. Those attending included his aunts (left to right) Audrey Brooks, Lisa Lewis, and Shirley Hartfield, and Canady's daughter, Melayztha, 14.
— Sean M. Haffey

Family members held each other at a vigil for Lamar Canady, who was gunned down in his Oak Park barbershop. Those attending included his aunts (left to right) Audrey Brooks, Lisa Lewis, and Shirley Hartfield, and Canady's daughter, Melayztha, 14.
— Sean M. Haffey

San Diego  The uncle of a young barbershop owner who was shot to death near the doorway of his business on Friday said at a vigil Monday night that his nephew was someone who had struggled with demons in the past but had worked to turn his life around.

The victim, Lamar Canady, 32, was a father of four who had opened the Oak Park shop, Official Cutz, at 54th and Redwood streets, about six months ago.

San Diego police homicide Lt. Mike Hastings said Monday that the investigation into the slaying is ongoing, including as to whether the shooting was gang-related. No arrest has been made.

Canady’s uncle, Clayton Lewis, told the large crowd assembled outside New Harvest Christian Fellowship that his nephew “did some things he had regretted in his life,” but was now determined to do things differently.

“He stopped doing the things he was doing, and he died proving it,” Lewis said, calling Canady “my ghetto superstar.”

Lewis said his nephew had decided, “I don’t have to do it that way; I can do it a better way.”

Several of Canady’s aunts who spoke echoed his words, noting how much Canady loved his family and was dedicated to helping them. One of them, Lisa Lewis, said Canady was by her side during her successful journey to get “clean and sober.”

One of Canady’s daughters, Melayztha, 14, did not speak at the vigil, but said afterward that her father, like her mother, “was trying to get a better future for us.” Her mother owns a hair salon.

Bishop Cornelius Bowser of Charity Apostolic Church said Canady had been a gang member, as Bowser had been until turning his life around.

The vigil was organized by D.O.V.E., which stands for Dreaming of Violence-free Everywhere.

Pastor Rene Colon of City of Hope International said afterward that such vigils are important because “in communities where homicides happen a lot, people get callous. We need to pay attention that someone lost their life,” he said.